Filing instrument.



l. NIEBLING.

FILING INSTRUMENT.

APPLICATION min AUGJS. 1915.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

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JOSEPH NIEBLING, OF WOODCLIFIE LAKE, NEW JERSEY.

FILING INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 14, 1916.

' Application filed August 16, 1915. Serial No. 45,715.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Josnrrr NIEBLING, a

citizen of the United States, and resident of IVoodcliflf Lake, in the county of Bergen and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing Instruments, of which the following is a specification. This invention consists of an improved instrument designed for piercing letters and similar sheets at one edge, preparatory to impaling the same upon the retainers provided therefor in paper-files, temporary binders, and like devices as ordinarily constructed.

An important object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and small sized instrument of the typeset forth, which shall be complete in itself, in the sense that it can be used either within or without the file or binder, and requires no alteration in or addition to the latter to make it operative.

A further object is to producean instrument of the kind mentioned, which shall be adjustable to any and all widths of files and binders in common usage, so that it may be transferred at will from one to another, or utilized in connection with any among their number.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

Vith the aforesaid objects in view the invention consists of the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in their preferred embodiment by the annexed drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a broken plan view of a temporary binder with this improved filing instrument thereto attached; Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the. line 22 of Fig. 1, looking toward the left; Fig. 3 is a similar section of the instrument removed from the binder, the section being on the line 3'3, Fig. 1, looking to the right; and Fig. l is a sectional edge view, looking up from the lower part of Fig. 1.

The present invention does not depend for its efiectiveness upon the employment of any particular form of file or binder, as it may be applied to or used in connection with all files or binders of ordinary manufacture having a plurality of impaling devices. The kind of. binder illustrated in the drawing herewith, which is a well known trade article, is therefore shown merely as.

by a strip 9, of flexible fabric, capable of.

expansion to accommodate the desired number of letters or paper sheets which it is.

intended to place between the covers for purposes of filing, whether permanent or temporary, within the said covers, and extending outwardly from the opposite edges of their said flexible strip, are two narrow bands 10, 11, ordinarily made of cloth covered card-board and designed to act as a pair of lips in receiving and holding between them the inner edges of the sheets to be filed. A pair of tongues, as 12, is connected with these lips 10 and 11, the same being arranged to pass'through holes in the said inner edges of the sheets of paper, and to be bent thereover so as to maintain the file in proper shape. In the form of binder represented, each oneof the tongues 12 is first secured to the'lower lip 10, from which it rises as seen in Figs. 2 and 42. The paper sheets, punctured at their inner edges preparative to filing, are slipped over each tongue and pressed down upon the said lower lip. Next, the tongues are passed through eyelets, as 18, provided in the upper lip 11, and the latter is made to rest on the top sheet ofthe papers in the file. Then, as shown in Fig. 1, each tongue may be turned down fiat upon the upper lip and stayed in place thereon by being pushed under a hook 14, which may be integrally formed with a plate 15. The latter is fastened to the upper lip by means of one eyelet 13 at the outer end, and by a similar eyelet 16 at the inner end. No claim is made to this construction of-file or binder, which n as before noted is illustrated herein merely as an aid to the exemplification of the invention.

Preferably, the improved instrument aforesaid includes two members 21, 22, herein shown as being of plate formatiomwhich members are slidable endwise relatively one to the other, so that the combined plate members will extend at both ends to the lot previously. mentioned tongues 12, or equiva lent retainers. provided for-the papers in the file or binder. The slidability of these plates, it will be observed, permits their adjustment to files or binders of different size, and likewise to varying distances between the tongues such as may be arbitrarily fixed.

in practice; In the present embodimentof the invention, the plates 21 and 22 are perforated each at the outer end, as'a't 23', there by forming an eye in the edge thereof, which lapping inner ends of the two plates. The

flanges 24 on the plate 22 take over the adjoining edges of the plate 21,, as will be not-iced, and similarly the flanges 25 on the plate 21 take under the contiguous edges of the plate 22. The plates or members are thereby guided and caused to move rectilinearly during their adjustment, in such a manner that, when held by the tongues or retainers 12, their longitudinal edges are maintained in parallelism with the top and bottom covers 7 and 8, whereas their ends advance or recede, as the case may be, in a direction perpendicular to the edges of said covers.

The outer ends of the slidablc plate members aforesaid carry piercers 28, 29, the

office of which is to puncture the paper sheets to be filed, and produce small openings in the inner edges thereof through which the tongues 12, or other retainers, can be readily passed. Preferably, these 'piercers are formed so as to make holes in the paperofsubstantially the shape of the tongues or retainers in cross-section, and in the present instance consist of triangular points integral with the plates. The points project at right angles from the surface of each plate, either upward or .downward, according to which way the instrument is to be used in the binder. They are shown as standing above the plates in the accompanying drawing, as probably the instrument will be oftener employed with the points in that position than otherwise. The points are further turned edgewise each in a plane identical with that of the corresponding tongue, and each is also made slightly wider at the base than the width of the tongue in order to insure for the latter. in'the paper sheet a hole of commensurate proportions and appropriate presentment in all instances.

As Fig.31 clearly indicates, the aforementioned piercers are placed opposite each other, preferably in a median plane of the combined plates 21 and 22, at equal distances laterally from the perforations 23, which are provided in the of the plates, as before stated, for engagement with the tongues or retainers 12. The piercers and perfo "ations are alined at the outer ends of their respective plates, in such a way that when the latter have been adjusted and positioned to permit the vertical portions of the tongues that are adapted to pass through the eyelets 13 to engage also the perforations 23, one piercer will stand directly opposite each perforation, eyelet. and tongue. Thesame interval, therefore, will occur immediately of the piercers as between .the eyelets and vertical portions of the tongues, and a sheet of paper punctured by the piercers will have openings formed therein at the exact distance apart to conform to the space separating the tongues, and adapted for their reception in filing the paper sheets.

The operation of the binder herein shown and described is familiarly known to persons using such devices and needs no particular explanation, save to say that when employed in connection therewith, the filing instrument may be conveniently located between the lips 10 and 11, where it is kept in working position by means of the retaining tongues 12. ,The sheets to be filed, it is understood, are punctured successively by the piercers and then made to engage the tongues, the adjusted plates or members 21 and 22 being placed upon the top sheet after each filing, that is, provided the points 28 and 29 are upstanding. If these-points were turned downward, the members in. that case would be located under the pile of sheets. The operation of filing would be the same as before, with the exception that the pile of papers would be handled in a reverse direction for piercing the sheets.

If, desired, theinstrument can be used for piercingthe paper sheets outside the file or inder, as well as inside. however, it is deemed preferable to provide holding means for the sliding members 21 and 2-2, that they may retain always their accurate adjustment. As the several figures of the drawing show, the said holding means comprises a clamp arrangement afforded by forming the upper member 21 with a longitudinal slot 31, in a centrally-raised portion 32, within which is fitted a correspondinglyraised boss, 33, on the lower member 22. A small nut 3%, lodged in the recess under the boss 33, and engaged by a screw-bolt 35, the head of whichbears upon the margin of the slot 31, completes the clamp. Awasher 36 When used outside,

ev ra e i may be interposed between the head .of the bolt and the raised portion of the slotted plate, in the usual manner. Such a Clfilllping or holdingmeans, it will be observed, will firmly maintain the slidable members each in its proper position and operate to locate the piercers at the right distance one from the other for puncturing the paper sheets to be filed. This clamp, it will also be noted, may serve as the guiding means for the adjustment of the sliding plates or members.

VJhile a certain preferred embodiment of the present device has been shown and described, it will be understood that changes in the form, arrangements, size, proportions and details thereof may be made without dcparting from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim 1s:

1. A filing instrument for use in connection with a binder, including a member, means for attaching the latter to the file retainers in said binder, and piercers on said member located opposite the points of reception of said retainers.

2. A filing instrument for use in connection with a binder, including a plurality of members slidable relatively one to the other, means permitting attachment of the members to the retainers of the binder, and piercers on said members arranged to be positioned opposite said retainers.

3. A filing instrument for use in connection with a binder having fiat file retainers, including relatively slidable members, means permitting attachment of said members to the file retainers, and piercers on the members standing opposite said retainers in their respective planes.

4. A filing instrument for use in connection with a binder, including a pair of members slidable relatively to each other, means permitting attachment of said members to the file retainers or the binder, piercers carried by the members so as to be brought opposite said retainers, and means for maintaining the members in alinement together with their said piercers.

5. A filing instrument for use in connection with a binder, including a plurality of members slidable endwise relatively one to the other, piercers carried by said members, means permitting attachment of the members to the file retainers of the binder opposite said piercers, and guiding means operating to maintain the members and piercers in parallelism with said retainers.

6. A filing instrument for use in connection with a binder, including a plurality of members, adapted to slide one upon the other, means permitting attachment of said members to the file retainers of the binder,

piercers on the .members arranged to be brought opposite said retainers, and guiding means for the members on both sides of the plane of said piercers.

7 A filing instrument comprising a pair of members slidable relatively one to the other, piercers carried by said members, and means common to both members for clamping the latter so as to maintain them with 1 the piercers in a predetermined position.

8. A filing instrument comprising a plurality of members slidable relatively one to another, piercers carried thereby, means formed with said members for guiding them during adjustment, and other means common to both members serving to clamp them together.

9. A filing instrument comprising a pair of slidable plates flanged over each other at opposite edges, piercers on said plates, and means for staying the latter in position.

10. A filing instrument comprising a pair of plates slidable one upon the other, piercers carried thereby, and clamping means formed by a central connection between said plates.

11. A filing instrument comprising a pai of plates in slidable relation one With the other, piercers thereon, and a bolt and slot connection between said plates operating to keep said piercers in alinement.

12. A filing instrument comprising a slotted plate, another plate adapted to engage the slot therein, means for maintaining said plates in a predetermined position, and piercers carried by the plates.

13. A filing instrument for use in connection with a binder having a pair of receiving elements, including two members, means for holding the latter between said elements, and piercers projecting outwardly from said members spaced apart to conform to the file retainers of the binder.

14. A filing instrument, for use in connection with a binder, including piercers, means for varying the distance between the latter to fit difi'erently spaced file retainers, and other means for attaching said means and piercersto said retainers.

15. A filing instrument for use in connection with a binder, including members attachable to the file retainers of the latter, and a piercer carried by each member located in line with the point of reception or" a retainer.

16. A filing instrument for use in connection with a binder, including a pair of members provided with eyes adapted to take over the file retainers of the binder, and a piercer carried by each member in alinement with one of said eyes.

17 A filing instrument for use in connection with a binder having a lip with retaining tongues extending therefrom, said instrument including members with. piercers thereon, said members being adapted to be said member in alinement With the points 13 positioned against said lip With their of said retaining tongues. piercers inalinement With said tongues. Signed at the borough of Manhattan, in 18. A filing instrument for use in connecthe county of New York and State of New 5 tion Witha binder having an internal re- York, this 14th day of August, A. D. 1915.

ceiving lip and retaining tongues, said in- JOSEPH NIEBLING. strument comprising a member adapted to Witnesses:

be disposed adjacent said lip, and piercers H. C. KARLsoN,

extending at substantially right angles from W. H. GEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

